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The Bangladesh Fertility Decline: An Interpretation

Author

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  • John C. Caldwell
  • Barkat‐e‐Khuda
  • Bruce Caldwell
  • Indrani Pieris
  • Pat Caldwell

Abstract

The claim has been made, notably in a 1994 World Bank report, that the Bangladesh fertility decline shows that efficient national family planning programs can achieve major fertility declines even in countries that are very poor, and even if females have a low status and significant socioeconomic change has not occurred. This article challenges this claim on the grounds that Bangladesh did experience major social and economic change, real and perceived, over the last two decades. This proposition is supported by official data and by findings of the authors' 1997 field study in rural southeast Bangladesh. That study demonstrates that most Bangladeshis believe that conditions are very different from the situation a generation ago and that on balance there has been improvement. Most also believe that more decisions must now be made by individuals, and these include decisions to have fewer children. In helping to achieve these new fertility aims, however, the services provided by the family planning program constituted an important input.

Suggested Citation

  • John C. Caldwell & Barkat‐e‐Khuda & Bruce Caldwell & Indrani Pieris & Pat Caldwell, 1999. "The Bangladesh Fertility Decline: An Interpretation," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 25(1), pages 67-84, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:popdev:v:25:y:1999:i:1:p:67-84
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1728-4457.1999.00067.x
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    Cited by:

    1. J. Wilson Mixon Jr. & Gary H. Roseman, 2003. "Male-Female Life Expectancy and Economic Freedom," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 19(Fall 2003), pages 1-20.
    2. Julie DaVanzo & Abdur Razzaque & Mizanur Rahman & Lauren Hale & Kapil Ahmed & Mehrab Ali Khan & Golam Mustafa & Kaniz Gausia, 2004. "The Effects of Birth Spacing on Infant and Child Mortality, Pregnancy Outcomes, and Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Matlab, Bangladesh," Working Papers 198, RAND Corporation.
    3. Jeroen van Ginneken & Abdur Razzaque, 2003. "Supply and Demand Factors in the Fertility Decline in Matlab, Bangladesh in 1977–1999," European Journal of Population, Springer;European Association for Population Studies, vol. 19(1), pages 29-45, March.
    4. Baez, Javier E., 2008. "Does More Mean Better? Sibling Sex Composition and the Link between Family Size and Children’s Quality," IZA Discussion Papers 3472, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Julie DaVanzo & Abdur Razzaque & Mizanur Rahman & Lauren Hale & Kapil Ahmed & Mehrab Ali Khan & Golam Mustafa & Kaniz Gausia, 2004. "The Effects of Birth Spacing on Infant and Child Mortality, Pregnancy Outcomes, and Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in Matlab, Bangladesh," Working Papers WR-198, RAND Corporation.
    6. Schuler, Sidney Ruth & Bates, Lisa M. & Islam, Farzana & Islam, Md. Khairul, 2006. "The timing of marriage and childbearing among rural families in Bangladesh: Choosing between competing risks," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(11), pages 2826-2837, June.
    7. Jeremy R. Porter, 2012. "Cultural vs. Economic: Re-Visiting the Determinants of Fertility at a Sub-National Level in the U.S, 1990 - 2000," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 2(6), pages 91-108, November.
    8. Jeffery, Patricia & Jeffery, Roger, 2002. "A Population Out of Control? Myths About Muslim Fertility in Contemporary India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(10), pages 1805-1822, October.

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